Crossing signal



NEAHR Dec. 9, H524- CROSSING SIGNAL,

5' Sheets-Shee l Filed NOV. 28, 1916 Dec. 9, 1924 1,518,539

W. C. NEAHR n I CROSSING SIGNAL Filed Nov. 28, 1916 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 g, g /fr ZMZKVM u if Dec. 9, 1924. 1,518,539

w. c. NEAHR CROSS ING SIGNAL Filed Nov. 28, 1916 3 SheetsSheet 3 Patented Dec. 9, 1924.

UNITED STATES 9 PATENT oFFlcE.

WILL o.y NEAR, oEnENvERMooLoRAno, ssIfGNoRflBriiEsNR,AssrGNMENTs, To THE DENVER ROCKA DRILL MANUFACTURING contri-ini?, or DENVER, ooL'oRADQA CORPORATION F DELAWARE;

CROSSING SIGNAL.

appueaton 1aed November 28,1916.` semaine. 133.9771;

useful Improvements in; Crossing; Signals,

of which the following is aspecication. .1

The` present invention relates to Signals.,

and more particularly thosey otagWarning character Yfor railroad crossingsand the like,v

wherein a movable visual member is actuated upon the approach ota tra1n,

One of the primary objects oithe invenf., tion is to provide a movable signalof this character that iseffective in` itswarnmg, Aand1 includes in its operative mechanism, means for stopping the signal .in a` predetermined position, and which positionis recognized by railroad and other authorities as safety" or ,clear. w

Another and important ,object istoprol vide means that isysimple in Lrits character,` and yet quickly etectiveto stop the signal at the desired point and lprevent itscoasting or undue movement after it reaches the desired position. .5

The preferred embodiment .ofthe invenn tion is illustrated i in the accompanying drawings, wherein :,-f-

Figurel is a sidelelevation, of 4the signal apparatus,k the casing being shown in sec-` tion.

Figure 2 is a view at right angles to Fig.

vure l.

Figure 3 is adetail viewpartially in section of a portion of, the gearing.

Figure 4 is a sectional view at right angles to Figure 3. i Figure 5 is a detail sectional ,view ythroughthe rock shaft and` illustrating the motor operated circuit controller. l.

Figure 6 is a detail view partially dia; grammatic in its character of the electric circuits. 4

Figure 7 is a detail sectional view through the signal member. i Figure 8 is a detail view of the motor brake. l f Similar reference numerals' designate cor.-v responding parts in all the figures of the drawings. f l, .In thev embodimentillustrated, a suitable casing is employed.,v comprising a base 9 on i .l which, is mounted .a boxing` it) hinged at one C! .3.1

end,- asnillnstrated 4at-M11,` yand having its opposite' end suitably rsecuredLas shown atl2, so that itcannoty be tampered with, and vet cany Abe raised to permit inspection Iof ,the

mechanism therein. Housed by this casing,

is a motor 13which may be of any desired character, and either of the direct or A.. C. type. This motor7 as shown7 is carriedbya bracket 14; secured to the .end of a suitable frame l5 inwhichfis mounted a transverse crank` `shaft 16, thefsameV 4beingprovided withball bearingsl?. The crank shaft 1G extends across a chamber 18,and a. worm gear 19 is mounted on said` shaft within the chamber. The lower portion of this cham-y ber constitutes an oil well, it beingr under-r stood that the worm wheel thus passes through a body of lubricant, Connectedy to the motor 113, .is a shaftQO .that is located in the upper portion of `the chamber 1l8transverselv totheshaft 16. This shaftu2'() car ries aworm 21 that meshes with theworm wheel 4l19,` so that rotary motion is thus iinparted to the shaft 16. y H

On one yofthe projecting ends of theshaft lisV `Inountedha .crank22 havinga wrist pin 2 3,l whichis journalsd.ony one end 'of a pitman 24. The other end of this pitinan has a pivotal connection 25 with an arm 26 carried bya rock shaft- 27 journaled on'the base9 and` projectingthrough ,the opposite sides of the boxing 10. The crank22and arm 26 are 01" such proportion that as,v the crankjl2'2A rotates, the Iarm 26 is given a back and forth or swinging motion.,

Suspended from the projecting ends4 of. the rock shaitl 27 are tubulararins 28 supporting at their lower ends` anopen-ended tubular hood 29 that constitutes a` connection between the arms. In this hood `is located a suitable electric lamp 30, the. leads .31. for which pass throughV the tubularwarms 28. The hoodl 29 is provided on opposite `sides of the lamp` BOwith suitablesignal lenses 32 which may be of any desired construction. Said hood is furthermore surrounded by `a signal ydisk or plate 33 attached lthereto by brackets 34 and preferably braced by cross bolt 35 that connects the arms 28 above the hood..,i ,Locatedon the base 9 areinsulation blocks 36, two being shown. Each of these blocks is provided with binding posts designated respectively 37 and 38. From the binding posts 37 electrical conductors 39 lead to the motor 13. A suitable source of electricity shown diagrammatically at 40 in Figure 6 has an electrical connection 41 with one of the binding posts 37, and also an electrical connection 42 with the other binding post. Suitable controlling means for this circuit is employed, and is shown diagrammatically and designated 43. This controlling mechanism as is well known to those skilled in the art is actuated by the passage of a train, and may be of any well known or desired character. To avoid unnecessary intricacy, it is only indicated in a gene-rie character by a circuit closer. Connected to the binding posts 37 or the leads 41 and 42 is the lamp 30 as shown at 44, and if desired, a signal bell 45 may also have similar connections, as shown at 46.

A brake for the motor is also provided. This brake is shown in detail in Figure 8. A brake wheel 47 is mounted on the motor shaft, and cooperating with this wheel is a spring band 48 having a friction element 49. The band has one end offset as shown at 50, said end being secured to a post 51, while the other end has secured to it a plunger armature. 52 that operates in a solenoid 53. The solenoid is connected with the binding post 37 or the leadas 41-42 by wires 54. Under ordinary conditions, or when the solenoid 53 is deenergized, the brake band will by its own resiliency, be held against the brake wheel 47, but when the solenoid is energized, the plunger 52 will be drawn thereinto, thus carrying the brake band out ot engagement with the wheel, so that the motor may operate without resistance therefrom.

Mounted on the rock shaft 27 and insulated therefrom is a cam 55 constituting one element of a circuit controller, the other element comprising a spring contact element 56 that is engaged and disengaged by the cam 55 upon the oscillation of the .rock shaft 27. The cani element 55 is electrically connected to one of the binding posts 37 as ,shown at 57 in Figure 6, and is thus connected through the motor 13 with one side of the source of electrical energy 40. The contact element 56 is electrically connected through the binding post 38, wire 58, and a portion of the wire 42 with the opposite side of the source of electrical energy, so that a circuit is established through the circuit closer 55-56 when the contact elements thereof are in engagement, said circuit including the source of. electrical energy 40 and the motor 13.

As is well known in railroad circles, the safety position of a signal is at the left, or as shown in Figure 1, and assuming that the parts are in this position with the circuit controller 43 open, and the circuit con troller 55-56 open, all the electrical devices will be inactive. As a consequence the brake band will be engaged with the. 4brake wheel 47. If now, the circuit controller 43 is closed by an approaching train, the circuit will be established as follows. Beginning at the source of electrical energy 40, through the wire 42 and circuit closer 43, to one of the binding posts 37, thence through the motor 13 by one of the wires 39, back through the other wire 39 to the other binding post 37 and wire 41 to the source of electrical energy 40. The motor 13 is thus thrown into operation, and simultaneously the bell 45 and lamp 30 will be operated. The closing of this circuit will simultaneous ly cause energization of the solenoid 53 so that the brake band will be withdrawn from the brake wheel 47. The motor will thus be thrown into operation, causing the swinging of the signal back and forth, while the lamp 30 within the housing is illuminated. As the train passes the crossing through suitable mechanism well understood, the circuit controller 43 will be. opened and thev above described circuit will be broken. This would of itself cut off the motor 13, the solenoid 53, the bell. 4.) and the lamp 3() from the source of electrical energy, and the signal would immediately be stopped. It will be clear, however, that this breakag'e of the circuit may happen at any time, irrespective of the position of the signal, but if said signal is in any other position than the predetermined safety position, shown in Figure 1, it will be noted that the cam 55 will be in contact with the element 56., and as long as this contact takes place, the circuit will be established and maintained from the source of electrical energy 4() through the wire 58, binding post 38, contact element 56, contact clement the wire` 57, one of the wires 39, the motor i3, the other wire 39, and the wire 41 to said source of electrical energy. The motor therefore will continue to operate until the cani 55 disengages the contact element 56, and ibis disengagement will talco place only,v when the signal is at said safety or clem position, whereupon all the igiarts will be deenergized, the brake will be applied, thc motor will stop, while the light will be ex-A tinguished, and the bell will cease its operation.

From thel foregoing, it is thought that the construction, operation and many advantages of the herein described invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art, witbout further description, and it will be understood that various changes in the size, shape. proportion and minor details of construction1nay be resorted to without departingr from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

loo

Ill

Having thus fully described my invention, what l claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

l. ln signal apparatus olf the character set forth, the. combination with a movable signal member, oii an operating motor thereitor, connections between the motor and sig'- nal member tor continuously driving the latter by the former, means' independent of the operating motor tor controlling the operation olf said motor, means controlled by the operating motor :tor also controlling said operating motor and continuing the movement of the signal by said operating motor when the iirst controlling means is inactive until said 'signal reaches prede-- termined safety position, said secon con trolling inea-ns then becoming inactive, and means for stopping` the erating motor and signal in said predetermined safety position when the second c:.nir'i'olling ineens is inactive.

2. ln signal apparatus or the character set forth, the combination with a swinging signal member, ot a motor, means tor eti tecting' a continuous operation ot the motor in one direction, operating means 'for repeatedly and automatically swinging' said signal member in both directions by said motor when so operated, means independent ot the operating means tor controlling the operation thereof, means controlled by the operating means for also controlling said operating means and etli'ecting a continuing movement tl e signal by said operating' means when the first coi trolling means is inactive until said signal reaches a predetermined position, said second controlling' means then becoming inactive when the operating` means and signal are in a predetermined positioiny and means controlled by the second controlling means tor automatically locking' said `signal when said predetermined position is reached.

3. ln signal apparatus or' the character set forth, the combination `With a movable signal member', of a motor, means l'or continuously operating the motor in one direction, connections tor eliecting both a baci; and forth movement ot the signal men'iber by the motor when so operated, mechanism tor controlling the actuation ot the operating motor, and means tor continuing' the operation ot the motor to move the signal member to and secure its stoppage at a predetermined position after the controlling' mechanism is operated to stop the actuation o'l" the operating motor.

4:. In signal apparatus ot the character set forth, the combination with a movable signal member, ot a motor having connections with the signal for positively operating it at all times When the motor is in operation, and mechanism tor controlling the movement of the signal member, including means 'for throwing the operating motor into and out ot action, and means for conn tinuing' the action ot the operating motor When the iirst means is inactive to continue' the movement ot' the signal by tl'ieniotor to` a predetermined position.

5. In signal apparatus or the character set forth, the combination With a movable signal member, ot means constantly m Vahle in one direction tor operating it, permanent connections between the operating means and signal member .tor causing a back and forth movement ot the latter by the former, and mechanism '.tor controlling` the movement of thc signal member by said means, including means tor throwing the operating means into and out or action, and means controlled by the signal operating means tor continuing the action ot the operating means when the irst controlling' means is inactive to continue the movement oit the signal to a predetermined position and stopping' the action ot the operating means as soon as said position is reached.

6. In signal apparatus ot the character set forth, the combination with a swinging signal member, ot an electric motor, driving means between the. motor and signal member for eltecting an automatic continuous movement of the signal member in both directions by the motor. electrical means tor continuously driving' the motor in one direction, comprising tivo circuits that include said motor, means independent of the motor tor controlling one of the circuits Without atlecting `the other.` and means operated by the motor for controlling the other circuit.

7. ln signal :'ipparatus of the character` set forth, the combination with a movable signal member, of an electric motor tor actuating the sai/ne, and electrical means :tor effecting a continuous operation ot the 1notor in one direction when energized and for controlling such operation, including separate circuits including the motor and con-- trolling devices in the respective circuits, one ot which is actuated by the motor and the other being capable ot actuation indepenently ot said mote 8. ln sig al apparatus ot the character set forth, the combination Witha movable signal member, of an electric motor for actuating the same, driving connections between the motor` and signal member for constantly driving' the latter by the former Whenever the motor is in operation, and means tor controlling the actuation of the motor, including automatic mechanism for throwing the motor into action, a controlling device actuated by the motor for continuing the operation of said motor when the automatic mechanism becomes inactive, and stopping the motor when the signal in a predetermined position, and means for locking the signal upon the operation of the second controlling device.

9. In signal apparatus of the character set forth, the combination with a signal member movable to and from a predetermined inactive position, of an electric motor, driving connections between the motor and signal member that causes the positive movement of the latter by the former both to and from such inactive position, a circuit including the electric motor, a controller for said circuit independent of the .niitor, another circuit including the motor, a controller for the second circuit, and means actuated by said motor to operate the controller of the second circuit when the signal member approaches its said predetermined inactive position.

l0. In signal apparatus of the character set forth, the combination with a swinging signal, of a roel; shaft supporting the same, an electric motor, gearing connecting the electric motor and recit shaft, a circuit controller comprising a cani element on the rock shaft, and a spring contact element cooperating with the cam element, a circuit including the circuit controller and the motor, another circuit controler operable inl dependently of the motor, and a circuit including the last mentioned controller and the motor.

ll. In signal apparatus c' the character set forth, the combination with a signal, of an electric motor for automatically eii'ecting a prolonged continuous operation thereof, two actuatingl electrical circuits including the said motor, a controlling device for one circuit operable independently of the motor, a controlling device for the other circuit operated by the motor and effecting the operation of said motor after the first circuit is inactive to cause the signal to assume a predetermined position, and an electrically operated holding device for the signal controlled by both circuits and immediately operating to secure the signal in said predetermined position wlien the second circuit bccomes inactive.

12. In signal apparatus of the character set forth, the combination with a signal, of an electrical motor for automatically effecting a prolonged continuous operation thereof, two actuating electrical circuits including the said motor, a controlling device for one circuit operable independently of the motor, a controlling device for the other circuit operated by the motor and effecting the operation of said motor after the first circuit is inactive to cause the signal to assume a predetermined position, and an electrically operated holding device included in both circuits and held inactive by either, said holding device immediately operating to secure the signal in said predetermined position after the iirst circuit becomes inactive and immediately upon the second circuit becoming inactive.

13. In signal apparatus of the character set forth, the combination with a casing, of a rock shaft mounted therein, spaced arms carried by the rock shaft, an open ended tubular hood connecting and carried by the free ends of the arms, a signal plate surrounding and secured to the hood, a lamp located within the hood, an electric motor in the casing, gearing between the motor and roclr shaft for swinging the latter, electric means including a circuit for operating the motor and :illuminating the lamp, a controller for the circuit, and a second controller for the motor including coacting elements, one of which is mounted on and moves with the rock shaft.

l/l. A crossing signal comprising a pendulum semaphore, a motor, driving connections between said motor and semaphore that cause the positive movement of the latter in both directions by the former on its continuous movement in one direction for eifecting the oscillation of said semaphore, a circuit for energizing said motor to eiiect its continuous movement in one direction, a contact for opening and closing said circuit. and means for continuing the energization of said motor to continue its movement in .r

the saine direction after said contact has been opened and until the semaphore reaches a predetermined inclined position.

In testimony whereof, I affix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

VILL C. NEAI-IR. Vitnesses:

Anci-IIE M. ADAMS, JAMES It. EiiunNnonr. 

